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Starkhavyn
Starkhavyn The longtime frontier of the Realm,Starkhavyn has served as a bastion against the creatures living in The Unknown for centuries. With the combined magic of the Elves and the technological innovations of humankind, Starkhavyn became not only sustainable, but relatively prosperous. Current Ruler: House Drummond of Dol Carraigh House Drummond traces its roots back to Galvar Tusk-Breaker and the infamous Battle of the Frost-fangs. During the battle, Galvar ordered his men to rain fire on his own troops engaged with the monsters of The Veil. This decision left many fearful and unwilling to follow Galvar, who then proved himself the "Gods' Chosen" by cleaving the tusks off a mammoth and riding it back to Dol Carraigh with his men in tow. After a few decades, the Drummond's were challenged by the southern House Howlester who sought to conquer their lands. With the help of the Lady of Ice Kaja Ottkala and her house, the southerners were pushed back to the sea where they surrendered and offered marriage in exchange for peace. House Ottkala faded into the south and House Drummond remained the lone sentinels against The Unknown. History The First Snows Originally not the frozen tundras and mountains of present day, Starkhavyn was once a relatively mountainous region with frosted peaks and rivers in the valleys below. The Elves had for centuries warded away what lurked across the Hoarfrost Strait, but without the Elven magic, the barriers had finally failed. The human settlers residing there, the ancestors of House Drummond, led by Galvar Tusk-Breaker, were faced with The Unknown for the first time in history, and forced to adapt or die. The Hoarfrost Strait froze solid from the seemingly instantaneous surge of biting cold winds, and snow began to fall. At this, Galvar Tusk-Breaker led his one hundred men over the frozen Strait, into The Unknown where they would find their salvation, but only at a great cost. The Battle of the Frost-fangs After the men set out into the frozen Unknown, they soon realized that the elves held out much more than the cold weather. The party was set upon by a vast array of dangerous and otherworldly creatures that ravaged the warriors. After barely surviving the onslaught, Galvar Tusk-Breaker ordered a retreat back across the frozen strait, where he also gave the controversial order to rain arrows and fire on his own men. The survivors of the encounter began returning, only to be faced with a herd of great mammoths. Galvar, having finally accepted the frost would be his death, charged one of the beasts head-on, slamming his axe down through one of the mammoth's tusks. After using scaling the creature, he proceeded to maneuver it back to the frozen strait and used the remaining tusk to break the ice that held the strait, freeing the water to flow once more. It was after this that the fortress of Dol Carraigh was built and the Hoarfrost Bridge was constructed. Present Day Centuries later, House Drummond remains the only sentinel guarding against The Unknown. With House Ottkala having married itself to the south, the Drummonds built more fortresses along the Hoarfrost Strait to ensure no more creatures could cross into their lands. Seeing as they were the only truly prominent family in the region, they claimed the Kingdom of Ice. Trivia * Starkhavyn is named for the gray color of the surrounding skies as well as it being thought of as a safe harbor against the terrors of The Unknown. * After returning from the almost failed expedition to the Frost-fangs, Galvar Tusk-Breaker fashioned the hewed mammoth's tusks into mighty weapons for his personal armory. While most have been broken or lost to time, there is a rumor that some remain in the world. * The Starkhavyn (and subsequently House Drummond) sigil depicts the castle at Dol Carraigh, often referred to by other northerners as "First Watch." Category:Kingdoms